TattoosLondon

PRESTELMunich · London · New York

London

Tattoos

Alex MacNaughton

Contents

8

Introduction

10

Alice Temple

16

Arnö Vön Detritus

22

Nicola Redford

26

Angelica Araujo

32

Terry Stephen

36

Grace Neutral

44

Dylan Ross

50

Bee Nguyen

54

Professor Richard

Sawdon Smith

60

Edyta

66

Mr Ducktail

Rock ‘n’ Roll MotherKutter

72

Ness

80

Snake Girl

86

Simon Henry

aka Mr Tarquim

90

Liberty Smith

96

Ashley Jagdeo

104

Emma Gates

110

Thomas

114

Joanne Danielle

Squires

122

Pinnetto

from Elephant 12

126

Koshil

132

Luki Goddi

138

Simon Phinith

142

Dani P

148

Andrew Shirley

154

Claire Ruocco

160

Lucrezia Testa Iannill i

164

Kiria

168

Amanda Burzio

174

Dr Matthew Lodder

182

Amber

188

Pablo Rodriguez

194

Hayley Hayes

204

VJ Von Art

208

Adam J. Evans

214

Rafe G

220

Steph Wayne

224

Coral Davies

230

Justin O’Grady

238

Alex Harvey

246

Lod

252

Graham Long

256

Cara Fielder

262

Miss Belinda

266

Laylay

270

Kat Williams

276

Stewart O’Callaghan

280

Heather Holyoak

288

Scott Pollard

292

Louise Elizabeth Fury

298

Mistress Jezabel

8

Foreword

by Dr Matt Lodder, University of Reading

The history of tattooing in London is long, and proud. The first tattoo shop in London

was opened near Holloway prison in 1870 by a tattooer called David W. Purdy, and

from the very beginning London served as a cradle for the brightest and best that

the art form could offer, the rich tapestry of the vibrant city feeding an innovative,

skilful and ornate craft. As if to repay the city some small amount of all it had given

him, Purdy suggested to his clients in a pamphlet he published towards the end of

the 19th century designs which included ‘Tower Bridge … the Great Wheel, at Earl’s

Court, or the Imperial Institute, or one of Her Majesty’s Battleships, and the Houses

of Parliament, all making good pictures, which could easily be printed neatly on flesh’.

By the 1880s, driven by a trend led by the dandyish Prince Bertie (later to become

King Edward VI), tattooing was all the rage amongst the most fashionable of London’s

high society. On the refined and rarefied Jermyn Street in the West End, the famous

Victorian tattooist Sutherland Macdonald ran a luxurious and lushly appointed

studio, replete with cushions and gilded divans. In Waterloo his contemporary,

George Burchett, was making a handsome living tattooing aristocrats and officers,

and decorating the ankles and shoulders of the most elegant of ladies. Stories

abound of wealthy barons at the end of the 19th century spending dozens of

guineas on acquiring tattoos from the most in-demand of artists, and of trends in

motif and style emanating from London’s tattoo scene causing admiring chatter

around the world.

9

Not much has changed in the intervening century or so. The people, stories and

tattoos Alex MacNaughton has documented for this book are part of this unbroken

tradition of fine tattooing in this most eclectic of cities. From professionals to punks

and from pharmacists to photographers, the tattoo collectors shown here represent

the vast diversity that has always been present amongst London’s tattooed.

Some of the tattoos his subjects bear are large, intricate and complex collaborative

creations which will have taken dozens of hours and hundreds of pounds to

complete. Others are smaller, whimsical, spontaneous. Some may be regretted,

most are warmly cherished. Several of those whose images fil l these pages are

heavily tattooed, steeped in the culture, history and mystery of tattooing. Others

have only a few tattoos, discrete and subtle. Yet all are united by the decision they

have taken to donate their own skin to an artist for the creation of an image.

As in the Victorian era, London’s tattoo scene today is looked upon admiringly

from all over the world as a hotbed of talent and innovation. Whether their tattoos

are decorative, demonstrative or decadent, every single person featured in this

compendium of tattooing in 21st-century London has given their skin to this art

form. In a city famed for being a bubbling cultural cauldron, it is hardly surprising

that the simple process of marking the skin with ink produces such great variety,

quality and sheer boldness of work.

10

11

Head, left and right neck, left and right biceps, left and right forearms, chest,

upper and lower back Nikole Lowe | Left hand Mr X | Left calf Self-tattooed

Alice Temple Age: 43

I have a few home-made tattoos. One was done by Rachel Williams: it’s an arrow

going down my butt-crack. I have scat written on my right forearm: this was

done by Tony Ward. My tattoos don’t mean any thing to me other than I like being

covered in tattoos. It’s purely a visual thing. I like the look of almost anyone who

is covered, and knew I wanted the same. What I have on me is almost irrelevant.

What is important is the artist who works on me. I’m very lucky and privileged

to have Nikole Lowe as my tattooist. I basically let her do what she wants.

Who knows what my next tattoo will be. I’ve got my legs and stomach to start on.

I’m pretty sure I want Nikole to do her beautiful flowers all over my legs, but

there are other bits and pieces I want. It kind of depends on how rich I am at the

time. Nikole is going to do my left-hand knuckles with wood instead of needles,

Japanese style — probably the four suits of a pack of cards.

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17

Left bicep, left hand Greg Bilko | Right bicep and forearm, chest Alexandre Mansuy

Arnö Vön DetritusAge: 31

Tattoos are for me a way of expression, a constant reminder of good and bad times

I went through. I see my body as a book where the tattoos are there to document

different times and stories of my life. That’s why I don’t think I will ever get anything

covered, as even if the older tatts look pretty cheap and badly done by my standards

nowadays, at some point in my life they meant a lot and represented something

for me. I also use tattoos as a reminder of not making the same mistake again.

And finally I see them as a way of distancing me from ‘the rest’, an immediate

identification to another part of society, making clear to people that I am not ‘like

them’, even if this sounds like a cliché. They are something you have suffered for,

and earned, something that doesn’t come ‘cheap’, and something that can’t be

taken from you. In the future I’m planning loads! The more the better. The next

few projects are NOMADIC above my belly button, as I don’t feel attached to any

part of any country, and feel like where I lay my head is home. No strings attached.

The skull of an ARIES, as my star sign is Aries, and I think it defines pretty much

my character — creative, stubborn and impulsive. And, of course, finishing my

sleeves and second hand with more skulls and demons.

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20

21

22

23

Left bicep Remis at Tattoo Prime | Stomach David at Barry Louvaine

Nicola Redford Age: 35

To me tattoos are a wonderful part of self-expression. I love the idea that I can

decorate my body with what I see as art in tattoo form. Unlike many people my

tattoos don’t signify or commemorate any specific people, or incidents in my life,

but are basically bits of imagery or wording that I find beautiful or have resonance.

They are, however, intrinsically a part of me; they are part of who I am, an outward

expression of an inner sentiment. They are a political/social statement of sorts as

much as a whimsical penchant for the aesthetically pleasing. I could absolutely tell

you exactly where and when I was when each one was etched on, so in many ways

they form a timeline whereby I can plot my journey through life in all senses of

the word. I have another session coming up in August to work on my arm piece.

Not planning to add a huge amount more to it at the moment, but just tweaking few

bits and having some more detail put in. After that, who knows? I think the arm

piece will get extended a bit more so it becomes a ¾ sleeve, but haven’t decided

what I want to continue it with image-wise as yet, so it’s stil l a work in progress.

24

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Most of my tattoos are from Brazil. The red stripes I did in London. I remember one guy

named Eduardo from Brazil did the big tattoo on my right arm. The others — I don’t

remember their names anymore.

Angelica Araujo Age: 32

Some of my tattoos mean different stages and important moments of

my life. (It’s more like memories: some people take photos, make videos,

I do tattoos.) It’s very difficult to explain because it doesn’t mean

anything to anyone — like my red stripes mean ‘London’ because it was

the time I moved here. I just want to remember that when I get older.

I haven’t decided on the next design yet, but I know it will be something

very feminine and will be on my legs. But I need to wait for the right time.

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UNVERKÄUFLICHE LESEPROBE

Alex MacNaughton

London Tattoos

Paperback, Broschur, 304 Seiten, 13x19527 farbige AbbildungenISBN: 978-3-7913-4584-0

Prestel

Erscheinungstermin: September 2011

Ein Blick unter die Haut: Menschen und ihre Tattoos Tattoos sind ein Phänomen des Zeitgeists, Teil der modernen Urban Culture, ein Kultthema,über alle sozialen Milieus hinweg. Alex MacNaughton zeigt Tätowierungen aus einer neuenSicht. Im Mittelpunkt stehen für ihn die Menschen, ihre Persönlichkeit und ihre Motive: warumhaben sie sich für ein Tattoo entschieden, welches Bildmotiv haben sie gewählt, wer sind ihrebevorzugten Künstler. Nach den erfolgreichen Büchern zu „Street Art” legt Alex MacNaughtoneinen neuen Titel vor, der den Nerv der Zeit trifft.